Development and Evaluation of A PPS Program
by Jerry Bohren, Trustee
Dr. John H. Correll, NAPSA Member and Director of Student Services in Downers Grove Schools, presented a valuable and informative breakout session at the recent NAPSA conference. Dr. Correll pointed out that the value of a strong and integrated PPS program model within a school system is widely appreciated in these days of increasing issues that students bring to school. Student problems that would have seemed extreme just a few years ago are almost routine these days, and PPS staff members are those called upon to provide the supports that enable such student to gain benefit from their educational program. Thus, the increasing need to identify, monitor, and intervene on behalf of an increasingly diverse student population in a legalistic environment calls for the best student support services available.
This interactive presentation described a model of PPS development and evaluation that is based on student needs, shows integrated communication and processing lines that reduce or eliminate barrier to service and is based on feedback and input from the users of the system - students, parents and faculty members. A number of Deming-like Total Quality Management (TQM) approaches are used in this system and were discussed.
In District 99, every student is perceived to have available to them at all times a set of Primary Support Services. These include but are not limited to trained teachers, nurses, police counselors, student assistance counselors, academic counselors and crisis intervention services. Some students are in need of a second level of support services due to repeated difficulties or more intense problems. These students are referred to ASSIST, a referral team that has additional in-school and agency resources at its disposal.
Each level of the response process has specific members with specific job descriptions, regular meeting times and procedures and accountable reports. Each year a faculty survey is conducted regarding the district's pupil personnel services and the results are reported to the Board of Education.
For more information about this highly successful and proven system of delivering and evaluating PPS services, contact Dr. John Correll, NAPSA member and Director of Student Services in Downers Grove, Illinois.